Garment



Feb. 26, 1935. s. J. BURNELL GARMENT Filed Sept. 12, 1932 I NVE N TOR, Sam/e! .I Balma/7.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 26, 1935 l f i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `GARMENT l n Samuel J. Burnell, Kansas CityyMo. Application September 12, 1932, Serial No. 632,649

Claims. Cl. 12S-159) This invention relates to garments and `improvements therein, and especially to a combined shirt and supporter which embodies novel features and Acombination of parts more specifically hereinafter set down and clearly shown in the accompanying drawing.

One of the primary objects of the present invention isthe contemplation of a combination shirt and supporter that may be made without greatly altering the general appearance and type ofgarment, wherein the features of the invention are incorporated and at an especially low figure without a lot of labor and without adding greatly to the manufacturing cost of the garment CJI ; embodying the features.

:Since specific structural details play an important part in the success of the present invention, and since they are definitely to be set down hereinafter, reference to the accompanying drawing will be made to fully disclose two embodiments of the invention and tcmake clear the improvements to a degree sufficient to permitone skilled in the art to readily understand the novel points contemplated. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an ordinary undershirt made to embody this inventionv in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross section through the lower portion vvof the shirt looking toward the inner side of the front Wallthereof. Y

Fig. 3 is asimilar section with the flap secured in the operative position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, central section through the front wall of the garment taken on line IV-IV of'Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 5 is a back elevation of a modified form of the garment, a portion thereof being broken away to` reveal `structural details. i

`Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the several viewsV and since the modified form of invention shown in Fig. 5 is substantially the same as the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it will be sufficient to refer to both forms when it is stated that the garment is in the form of an ordinary undershirt made of stretchable material which conforms to the body contour when worn. The tubular body portion 6 has formed in one end thereof a pair of arm holes 8 and a neck hole 10, around the edges of which is stitched a binding 12 of suitable material. The other end of the tubular body portion 6 is open and the bottom edge 14 of said body lies in a common plane without 01T- sets andexactly the same as the ordinary garment now so well known.

It may be desirable to cut this garment a bit longer than those now normally ,used in order to cause the same to perform the function desired and after the garment has been made in the ordinary Way, there isformed therein on the longitudinal medial-line of the front wall thereof, an opening 16 which may be bound with non-stretchable material 18 to-permit thefabric therearound to stretchwithout unduly distorting opening 16.

One of the salient features of the invention is the formation of a pouch 20 immediately behind and below opening 16, which pouch should be rigidly supported, yet presenting enough of the stretchable material to conform to the wearer in a manner to create a support that will be comfortable, effective and efficient in so far as its ability to relieve strain is concerned.

Tocarry out .this feature, there should be a pair of transverse reenforcing tapes 22 and 24 stitched to the inner side of the front wall of body portion 6 as illustrated clearly` in Fig. 2. Tape 22 is relatively short and is positioned above opening 16 while tape 24 is somewhat longer, is disposed in substantially parallel relation with tape 22, and isl stitched to the inner wall of body portion 6 along bottom 14. These tapes are nonstretchable and createra reenforcement which, when the pouch20 is formed, completely circumscribe `the top thereof to lend the required rigidity to the support.v .Suitable fasteners 26, consisting of snaps of -ordinary type having male andfemale portions should be carried by each of said tapes at the ends thereof, as clearly shown. After the garment has been placed over the body of the wearenopening 16 is utilized and fasteners 26 brought together as. shown in Fig. 3 to create the supporting pouch 20.

v In the modified form shown in Fig.'5, the bring-V ing together of fasteners 26 will simply draw or gather the material upwardly without causing the shirt to pull out of shape or without causing discomfort to the wearer.4 In some instances it has been found desirable to eliminate entirely this gathering effect and to provide vents 28 for the purpose. When vents 28 are formed, they should be created on each side of tape 24 vto extend inwardly from bottom 14 to a point in alignment with the lower edge of opening 16. A flap 30 is formed thereby, having the vents 28 on each side thereof and tape 24 along the lower portion so that when fasteners 26 are brought into securing position a pouch such as that shown in Fig. 3 will be formed.

Obviously, flap 30 is entirely within the border lines of body portion 6 and no projecting tongues,

strips, aprons, flaps, or salients are present to alter the appearance of the shirt. Suitable binding 32 is stitched around the edge of each vent 23 and it is obvious that such parts of the supportingV portionof the garment as need vto be strengthened are reenforced-by such binding and the tapes 22 and 24.

VThe operation'and manner of wearing the garment, as Well as the function thereof, is obvious from the foregoing specification, and since the,

invention might be incorporated in garments of various types and characters, it is desired to be limited in its construction only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedras new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Al shirt comprising a tubular body of stretchable material; arm and neck holes formed.

by the body at the top thereof; an opening formed through the front wall of said body on the medial line thereof and in spaced relation to the bottom of 'said body; binding aroundthe edges of the arm holes, neck holes and opening respectively; a non-stretchable, transverse reenforcing tape stitched to the inner side of said front wall above and below said opening respec` tively; and fasteners carried by each of said tapes at the ends thereof; said tapes being in parallel relation, the lowermost one being longer than the upper one, andl spaced a greater distance from the hole Ythan said upper tape vwhereby when the fasteners of the lower tape are secured to the fasteners of the upper tape a' pouch is formed between the front and back walls of the tubular body and rearwardly of said opening.

2. A shirt comprising av tubular bod-yA of stretchable fabric; arm andneck holes formed by the body at the top thereof; an opening formed through the front wall of said body on the longitudinal medial line thereof and in spaced relation to the bottom of said body, the bottom edge of said body being in the same plane; bind- Ying around the edges of thearm holes, neck holes and. opening respectively; a non-stretchable, transverely disposed, reenforcing tape stitched to the inner side of said front wall 'above and below said opening respectively; fasteners carried by each of said tapes at the ends thereof, the lowermost tape being longer than the upper one and spaced a greater distancerfrom the hole thansaid upper tape; and a vent formed below said opening and in the front wall of said bodypon each side respectively of said hole and extending upwardly from the bottom edge of said wall, said'fasteners at'the ends of thesaid long Y tape being adapted to engage the fastenersat the ends of the short tape'whereby to form a pouch for the purpose specified., Y'

3. A shirt comprising a tubular body of stretchable fabric; arm and'neck holes vformed by the body at the top thereof; Van opening formed through the front wall of said body on the longitudinal medial line thereof and in spaced relation to the bottom of said body, the

bottom edge of said body being in the same plane; binding around the edges of the arm holes, 'l

,Y the hole than said upper tape; and a vent formed in the front wall of said body on each side respectively of said hole and extending upwardly of said reenforcing tapes are brought together.

, 4.-. In a shirt of the character described, a

tubular bodyA having a bottomedge disposed in a common plane; a pair of spaced apart vents formed by said body, and extending inwardly from said" bottom edge thereof; an opening formed through the body wall intermediate and above saidV vents; a transverse reenforcing tape stitched to theV inner side of said body Wallrabove and below said opening respectively; and a fastener at each end respectively of said tapes, one of Vsaid tapes being relatively shortrand disposed above said opening, the other tape being longer to extend from vent to vent along the bottom edge of said body and'being spaced from said opening a greater distance than the other tape, said Vfasteners at the ends of the said long tape being adapted to engage-the fasteners at the ends of the short tape to form a pouch having a mouth of a fullness sufficient to allow the central portion of the long tape to form an arch positioned below the top of said opening intermediate the vents.

5. A shirt having two spaced-apart vents formed in the bottom edge of its front wall and extended upwardly therefrom to form a flap therebetween, an opening formed in said-shirt above and intermediate said vents, tapes stitched to the inner: side'of the front wall of said shirt above and below said opening respectively, fasteners carried by each 'of said tapes at ,the ends thereof, the lower tape being positioned adjacent the lower edge of said flap and being longer than the upper tape and spaced a greater distance from said hole, said fasteners on the longer tape being adapted Vto engage the fasteners of the short tape to form a pouch having the said opening in the side thereof.

. VSAMUEL J. BURNELL. 

